TOKYO, Japan—“I’ve been watching since the opening performance in Shinjuku, and no matter how many times I see it, it’s always incredible. I never get tired of it,” said Shen Yun enthusiast Masuo Nobuhisa with a smile.
On May 13, Shen Yun concluded its Japan tour with a final performance at Tokyo International Forum. That evening, Mr. Masuo once again made his way to the theater. With this performance, he had now attended all 21 Shen Yun performances presented in Japan this season.
Tall and soft-spoken, Mr. Masuo works as a Shinkansen train driver. Because of his irregular work schedule, each trip to the theater takes about 2 hours by bullet train. Yet he has continued following Shen Yun for years. Since first seeing the performance in 2018, he has attended nearly 50 performances.
“When Shen Yun couldn’t come to Japan during the pandemic, I was really disappointed,” he said. “After COVID, I had been looking forward to seeing it again.”
Mr. Masuo further explained why he has continued returning year after year, noting that each performance brings new discoveries.
“The first time you watch, there are so many stories and things happening on stage that you can miss details,” he said. “After seeing it several times, you start noticing the smaller movements, like the gestures of the hands. Little by little, you begin to see more details, and every time there’s something new to discover.”
“The more you watch, the more you notice how carefully everything is done—even the footwork and the hand movements,” he said. “It feels like every motion has meaning behind it. There’s an incredible level of attention to detail, and I think that’s part of what draws people in.”
Mr. Masuo said he is especially drawn to the dancers’ elegance and the sense of warmth and refinement that seems to radiate from within them.
“The female dancers are truly beautiful, almost like heavenly maidens,” he said. “It’s not just their appearance. There’s something that naturally radiates from within them, an atmosphere that remains captivating no matter how many times you see it.”
The dance piece that particularly stayed with him was “Peacocks in Paradise,” which opens the second half of this year’s program, where dancers emerge from a sea of clouds.
“It was absolutely beautiful and graceful,” he said with a smile. “I’m not very good with words, but Shen Yun is really hard to describe. Everything about it is wonderful.”
“The songs make me think about things like honor and living for others,” Mr. Masuo said. “The lyrics contain ideas and moral values that have faded from modern society, and they really speak to people.”
“It’s truly amazing,” he said. “The live orchestra, the digital backdrop, and the dancing all come together almost like a trinity. If even one part were missing, I don’t think this atmosphere could exist.”
“When I watch, I really feel there’s some kind of invisible power,” he said. “It feels like your soul is being purified.”
He believes Shen Yun reminds audiences of something easily forgotten in modern life: inner richness.
“When you live in modern society, you start to forget the richness of the heart,” he said. “Shen Yun makes me think again about how I should live going forward, and how I can become a better person—for example, by helping others.”
He added that modern society often encourages people to pursue personal gain and become self-centered, while Shen Yun conveys a different set of values.
“What I receive from Shen Yun is the spirit of altruism,” he said, “living for the sake of others and striving toward a better way of life.”
“China has such a long history and such wonderful culture, so I always feel it’s a real shame,” he said.
As for next year’s performances, Mr. Masuo said without hesitation: “Of course I’ll come again. I want to see as many performances in the Kanto region as possible.”
“Thank you so much for always bringing such wonderful performances to Japan,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve gone through many hardships and difficulties, but many people in Japan support this art. I’m truly looking forward to seeing you return again.”
